U.S. patent application number 15/030987 was filed with the patent office on 2016-09-01 for apparatus for transferring specimens of biological material between laboratory automation systems placed at different heights.
This patent application is currently assigned to Inpeco Holding Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is Inpeco Holding Ltd.. Invention is credited to Gianandrea PEDRAZZINI.
Application Number | 20160251170 15/030987 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49640026 |
Filed Date | 2016-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160251170 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PEDRAZZINI; Gianandrea |
September 1, 2016 |
APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING SPECIMENS OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL BETWEEN
LABORATORY AUTOMATION SYSTEMS PLACED AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS
Abstract
There is described an apparatus for the transfer of conveying
devices of containers of biological products between laboratory
automation systems placed at different heights. Said apparatus
comprises a motor-driven belt arranged transversely with respect to
said automation systems. Shelves are fixed to said motor-driven
belt for accommodating said conveying devices during said transfer.
Said conveying devices are loaded/unloaded on/from said shelves of
said apparatus by the action of pushers. Said belt allows, by means
of its rotation, a simultaneous bidirectional transfer, both in
ascent and descent, of conveying devices from one automation system
to the other.
Inventors: |
PEDRAZZINI; Gianandrea;
(Paradiso, CH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Inpeco Holding Ltd. |
Qormi |
|
MT |
|
|
Assignee: |
Inpeco Holding Ltd.
Qormi
MT
|
Family ID: |
49640026 |
Appl. No.: |
15/030987 |
Filed: |
October 20, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
October 20, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB2014/065468 |
371 Date: |
April 21, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
198/801 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 17/123 20130101;
G01N 2035/0484 20130101; G01N 2035/0465 20130101; B65G 2201/0261
20130101; G01N 2035/0406 20130101; B65G 43/08 20130101; B65G 47/57
20130101; G01N 2035/0467 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65G 47/57 20060101
B65G047/57; B65G 43/08 20060101 B65G043/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 23, 2013 |
IT |
MI2013A001763 |
Claims
1. An analysis laboratory comprising at least a first and a second
laboratory automation system, placed at different heights, and an
apparatus for the transfer of conveying devices for single test
tubes containing biological material, at least between said first
and said second laboratory automation system, said conveying
devices being adapted to keep said test tube in a vertical position
during handling, said apparatus comprising a motor-driven belt,
arranged vertically with respect to said first and second
laboratory automation systems, shelves fixed to said motor-driven
belt for accommodating said conveying devices, said shelves
remaining horizontal during said transfer so that the test tubes
remain in vertical position, and pushers adapted to horizontally
move the conveying devices so as to keep the test tubes in vertical
position during the transfer from each of said first and second
laboratory automation system to one of said shelves and vice versa,
said analysis laboratory is wherein each of said first and second
laboratory automation system is provided with a main lane and a
secondary lane, said secondary lane being directly interfaced with
said apparatus, said shelves being fixed to said belt so as to face
the same secondary lane of a single laboratory automation system,
said pushers are able to move said conveying devices from said
secondary lane to said shelves and vice-versa, and said belt
allowing, by means of its rotation, the conveying devices to be
lifted from the first automation system to the second automation
system, and the conveying devices to be simultaneously descended
from the second automation system to first automation system.
2. The analysis laboratory according to claim 1, wherein it
comprises a sensor able to detect the presence of said conveying
device and to actuate said pusher to move said conveying device
from said secondary lane to said shelve and vice-versa.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a
sliding system provided with a pair of belts driven by a motor to
actuate said pusher.
4. The analysis laboratory according to claim 1, wherein the
connection between said secondary lane and said shelves is made by
means of peripheral units with a ramp section, said peripheral
units having a horizontal section at the transfer zone adjacent to
said belt.
5. The analysis laboratory according to claim 1, wherein said
laboratory automation systems are placed in two separate rooms and
said analysis laboratory comprises a cavity in the ceiling which
separates said rooms, said cavity being protected by a layer of
insulating and fire-retardant material, such as rock wool.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for the
transfer of specimens of biological material between laboratory
automation systems placed at different heights.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Automation systems for the movement of test tubes in an
analysis laboratory have increasingly large dimensions, and now a
single laboratory room is often not sufficient to contain the
entire system and all analysis modules interfacing therewith.
[0003] In most laboratories, multiple automation systems are
therefore arranged, separate from one another, in different rooms
possibly even located on different floors of the laboratory itself.
Each system may be interfaced, according to the space available,
with a certain amount of assay modules, also different from one
another from system to system.
[0004] However, it is frequent the case in which a same specimen is
to be taken over and analyzed, in a sequence, by modules that
interface with separate automation systems located in different
rooms.
[0005] The most obvious solution clearly is the pick up of a
certain amount of specimens contained in test tubes by an operator
and their manual transfer from one room to another, i.e. from one
automation system to another. This solution is not very practical,
first because it may keep the operator in charge constantly
engaged, who could instead carry out other tasks in the laboratory,
and it would also be preferable to ensure a supply of specimens to
the system where they should be transferred, which occurs
immediately when there is a need, regardless of the more or less
regular movements, from one room to the other, of the operator as
the test tube carrier.
[0006] Apparatuses which carry out operations of this kind are
already known, for example a transfer of specimens, each contained
in a test tube in turn accommodated in a conveying device, from a
conveyor of a laboratory automation system to a second conveyor
placed at a different height.
[0007] However, in the known solutions, the apparatus in question
can only operate in an alternating manner, as an elevator at
certain times and as a descender at others, as there is only one
path available for both the ascent and the descent of conveying
devices. Accordingly, if the path is occupied by a conveying device
which is for example going up, one must wait for the completion of
that operation before a descent operation of a next conveying
device may possibly start along the same path.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,512 describes a vertical chain conveyor
for the transfer of biological material. Said conveyor includes
shelves adapted to overturn the biological material from one inlet
area to an outlet area located at the same height.
[0009] EP-0300619 describes a chain conveyor for the transfer of
parcels between locations at different heights. Said conveyor
includes reclining shelves for loading and unloading the parcels.
In order to load the parcels on the shelves and vice versa, means
are required to tilt said shelves and thus the parcels to help them
rise on the shelves or vice versa descend from the shelves.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is the object of the present invention to provide an
apparatus with a bidirectional mechanism for the simultaneous
ascent and descent of conveying devices containing specimens, thus
parallelizing the operations and considerably speeding up, compared
to the known solutions, the exchange of specimens between one
automation system and the other.
[0011] This and other objects are achieved by an apparatus as
described in claim 1.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] These and other features of the present invention will
become more apparent from the following detailed description of an
embodiment thereof, made by way of a non-limiting example with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the apparatus according
to the invention, interfaced with two laboratory automation systems
placed at different heights;
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a rear view of a further detail of the
interfacing between the apparatus and one of the two automation
systems;
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a front view of the apparatus only;
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a detail of the step of
loading specimens from the automation system, placed at a lower
height, to the apparatus;
[0017] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a detail of the step of
unloading specimens from the apparatus to the automation system
placed at a higher height;
[0018] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a detail of the step of
loading specimens from the automation system, placed at a higher
height, to the apparatus;
[0019] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a detail of the step of
unloading specimens from the apparatus to the automation system
placed at a lower height.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] An apparatus 1 connects together two different automation
systems 2, 3, for example placed in two separate rooms (located one
above the other) of an analysis laboratory (FIG. 1). Apparatus 1
extends through both rooms, through a suitable cavity 50 made in
the ceiling of the room on the lower floor, and is used to transfer
specimens of biological material, contained in test tubes 4,
between systems 2 and 3 in both directions. Cavity 50 may be
protected by a layer 51 of insulating and fire-retardant material,
such as rock wool (FIG. 2).
[0021] Each test tube 4 is in turn contained in conveying devices 5
for a single test tube 4, and may indifferently be capped or
uncapped. According to the specific needs of the analysis modules
connected to systems 2 and 3, the possibility to also transfer
empty conveying devices 5 along apparatus 1 may also be
included.
[0022] Each conveying device 5 is adapted to keep the respective
test tube 4 in a vertical position, as shown for example in FIG.
4.
[0023] The conveying devices 5 which must be directed towards the
apparatus 1 in order to be loaded thereon are diverted along the
automation system 2 or 3, from a main lane 6 to a secondary lane 7
directly interfaced with apparatus 1. Likewise, during the step of
unloading from apparatus 1, the conveying devices 5 are first
released along the secondary lane 7 to then return to the main lane
6 and hence resume their path along system 2 or 3 (FIG. 1).
[0024] The interfacing between the automation system 3 placed in
the room on the upper floor and apparatus 1 is actually
accomplished by using two peripheral units (spurs) 8a and 8b with a
ramp section (FIG. 1), similar to that described in Italian patent
application MI2013A000181 to the Applicant. This is to carry out a
fine adjustment and exactly adapt the height of the
loading/unloading point of the conveying devices 5 on/from
apparatus 1 for every possible height of system 3 relative to the
floor of the upper room, and for the extension of every possible
height of the ceiling of the lower room; this is required since
apparatus 1 moves according to fixed steps, as will be better
explained hereafter.
[0025] Apparatus 1 comprises a motor-driven belt 9 to which shelves
10 are fixed, at a regular distance from one another and over the
entire length thereof, which are intended to receive and transport
the conveying devices 5, either empty or with test tube 4, along
belt 9 (FIG. 3).
[0026] Said shelves 10 are horizontal along the entire transfer
path so that the test tubes 4 remain vertically arranged during the
height change.
[0027] Belt 9 is vertically arranged and, looking frontally at
apparatus 1 from the automation system (either the lower 2 or
higher 3 system), this causes the effect to have the upward
movement of the conveying devices 5 on one side and the downward
movement on the opposite side.
[0028] Apparatus 1 further comprises pushers 11 (FIGS. 4-7) adapted
to carry out the horizontal displacement of the conveying devices 5
from one of the two automation systems 2, 3 to the shelves 10 of
apparatus 1, as well as carry out, at the other end of apparatus 1,
the opposite operation; in other words, pushers 11 carry out both
the start and the completion of the operation of transferring
specimens from one automation system 2, 3 to the other.
[0029] It is worth noting that, in any case, the peripheral units
8a, 8b have a horizontal section at the transfer zone adjacent to
belt 9 so that the translation of the conveying devices 5 is
horizontal, thus keeping the test tubes 4 vertical.
[0030] It is very important that, in the transfer step, the test
tube 4 is kept vertical; the tilting of the test tube 4 could in
fact cause the displacement thereof with respect to the conveying
device 5 or even an uncoupling from the latter.
[0031] Moreover, keeping the test tube 4 vertical allows better
preserving the biological material contained therein, thus
preventing motions that may alter the biological material itself by
unintended mixing, or even cause the escape thereof when the test
tube 4 is uncapped, which are all very unpleasant situations
especially if the biological material has yet to be analyzed.
[0032] The operation of the pushers 11 is ensured by a sliding
system thereof, comprising a pair of belts 12a and 12h driven by a
motor 13, and sensors 14 which start such a sliding movement only
if it is actually needed, i.e. if there actually is a conveying
device 5 which must be moved from apparatus 1 to the automation
system 2, 3, or vice versa.
[0033] Apparatus 1 is therefore designed to ensure a continuous
exchange of specimens between two (or possibly more than two)
automation systems 2, 3 vertically placed on two (or more) distinct
levels.
[0034] Therefore, assuming that there are conveying devices 5, with
or without test tube 4, which are to be transported from system 2
on the lower floor to system 3 on the upper floor, they are
suitably diverted (according to a control from a control unit) from
the main lane 6 to the secondary lane 7 of the automation system 2
on the lower floor.
[0035] Upon the arrival of the diverted conveying device 5 at the
interface with apparatus 1, sensor 14 detects the presence of the
conveying device 5 and then actuates pusher 11 which moves the
transport conveying device 5 from the secondary lane 7 to the shelf
10 of apparatus 1, suitably stopped at the correct height so that
shelf 10 is at the same level with system 2 and therefore ready to
accommodate the conveying device 5 (FIG. 4).
[0036] Multiple conveying devices 5 may be diverted along the
secondary lane 7, one after the other; in this case, a queue is
formed along the same lane and the actuation of pusher 11 to place
multiple conveying devices 5 in a sequence on different consecutive
shelves 10 of apparatus 1 is almost continuous, the stepping
movement of the latter being perfectly coordinated with the thrust
of each conveying device 5 by means of pusher 11.
[0037] Obviously, nothing changes if the arrival of the conveying
devices 5 at the interface with apparatus 1 is irregular; their
release and subsequent conveying to a shelf 10 of apparatus 1 is
always handled in a suitable manner, possibly by blocking the
conveying device 5 for a certain period of time by means of a stop
gate 15 placed at the end of the secondary lane 7. This is to
ensure that the release is in any case synchronized with the
sliding of the belt 9 of apparatus 1, and thus of the shelves 10
thereof.
[0038] The operating principle just described, with reference to
the loading of the conveying devices 5 from the automation system 2
placed in the room on the lower floor, is also substantially
identical in the other three loading/unloading points that
interface with apparatus 1.
[0039] In particular, the conveying devices 5 loaded on apparatus 1
(as described above), once the top of the apparatus itself has been
reached, are detected by a sensor 14, which contributes to the
actuation of a new pusher 11; the latter transfers the conveying
devices 5 from the shelf 10 of the apparatus to the peripheral unit
8b, from which they are then routed along the secondary lane 7 and
then the main lane 6 of the automation system 3 that is located in
the room on the upper floor (FIG. 5).
[0040] At the same time, on the opposite branch of apparatus 1,
contrary operations take place for transferring the conveying
devices 5 from the automation system 3 on the upper floor to the
automation system 2 on the lower floor.
[0041] The conveying devices 5 are then appropriately diverted from
the main lane 6 to the secondary lane 7 of system 3 and after
crossing the peripheral unit 8a are pushed by a new pusher 11
within apparatus 1 (FIG. 6). Once at the base of apparatus 1, they
are again pushed by another pusher 11 and directed along the
secondary lane 7, and then along the main lane 6 of the automation
system 2 on the lower floor (FIG. 7).
[0042] Therefore, it is the innovative aspect of the invention to
ensure a complete automation of the process of transferring
specimens between two or more different automation systems located
on different floors at different heights, and in particular in
separate rooms of a laboratory. Thereby, the laboratory operator is
relieved from the manual performance of this task.
[0043] Moreover, the complete continuity and bidirectionality of
such a transfer is ensured at any time. The apparatus of the
invention in fact allows parallelizing the operations along its two
distinct branches (an ascent branch and a descent branch), thereby
also carrying out the transfer of specimens, from the automation
system located at a lower level to that placed at a higher level
and vice versa.
[0044] Moreover, since such an apparatus is essentially a
monolithic block, any maintenance thereof is also quite simple.
[0045] Several changes and variations may be made to the invention
thus conceived, all falling within the scope of the inventive
concept.
[0046] In the practice, the materials used as well as the shapes
and sizes may be any, according to the requirements.
* * * * *